Closing device for sashes.



vrPATENTE) Nov. a, w04Y C. RUPP. CLOSING DEVICE FOR SASHES.

APPLICATION FILED A'PR.. 19, 1904.

Mums-SHEET 14 N0 MODEL.

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PATENTED NOV. 8', 1904.

C. RUPP.

CLOSING DEVICE FOR SASHES.

UNITED STATES Patented November. 8, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

CLOSING DEVICE FOR SASHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 774,6()5, datedNovember 8, 1904. Application filed April 19, 1904. Serial No, 203,882.(No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, CHARLES RUPP, a citizen of the United States,residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certainImprovements in Closing Devices for Sashes, of which the following is aspecification.

The object of my invention is to provide a device which in the event ofan abnormal rise in temperature in its vicinity shall operate to closeor permit the closing of both sashes of a window.

A further object of the invention is to provide a iireproof window frameand sashes with a single device, set in operation by an abnormal rise oftemperature in the vicinity of said frame, which shall permit automaticclosing of the lower sash and act to positively close the upper sash.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a construction bywhich a single weight is made to serve as a counterbalance for both thelower and the upper sashes of a window, and I may, if desired, employ inaddition means whereby said single weight is made to cause the closingof both sashes in the event of fire or any abnormal rise of temperaturein their vicinity.

In order to attain these ends, I provide the construction hereinafterdescribed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which-Figure l is a front elevation, partly in section, of a Window-frame withits accompanying sashes, showing my invention as applied thereto. Fig. 2is a side elevation of the frame shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an enlargedsectional view illustrating the detail construction of a portion of thedevice shown in Fig. l. Fig. 4L is a sectional elevation of my preferredconstruction of the device for retaining the sash-weight chain inconnection with one of the sashes, said figure also showing the deviceby which a window-sash is supported so as to be free to turn on ahorizontal axis. Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the construction shown inFig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a sectional plan view on the line 6 6, Fig. 5.

In the above drawings, A is a metallic window-frame of any desiredconstruction suitable for the purpose, having the customary verticalguideways foran upper sash B and a lower sashl C. D representscounterweights for said sashes, and'itwill be noted that said weightsare each suspended froml a pulley d, around whichl passes a chainl CZ',one end of which passes over a pulley Z2 and is permanently attached tothe upper portion of the upper sash B. The opposite end of said chainpasses around a pulley Z3 and is attached to the lower portion of thelower sash C by means of some vdevice including a fusible link, which inthe event of a predetermined rise of temperature above the normal willrelease said chain from said sash. One form of this device is shown inFigs. l and 3 and consists of a casting E, fastened to the inside of thehollow sash-frame and provided with a lug e, in which is an opening forthe passage of an I bar e. This bar is connected to the chain cZ, as isalso a piece e2, which is held to `that portion of said I-bar whichprojects through the lugs e by means of fusible solder. There is a stopCZ4L iiXed to the chain fZ at some' point between the pulley Z3 and thepulley (Z, upon which is carried Vthe counterweight D, and it will beseen that under normal conditions this weight is effective tocounterbalance *either the upper or lower sash in any position in whichthese'may be placed in the windowframe. Should the lower sash be raisedand the upper sash be lowered at a time when the window was exposed tothe abnormal heat resulting from a fire, the melting of the piece e2'from the I-bar e' would atonce permit the chain d' to release the lowersash C, which would fall to its closed position under the action ofgravity. By this release of the chainV the counterweight D is leftunsupported, and

the stop Zi is so placed upon said chain that it engages the pulley cZbefore this latter, with its attached counterweight, has fallen anyconsiderable distance in the frame. Owing to the construction of thepart d", in which the pulley Z is rotatably supported, the rendering ofthe chain Z through said pulley is prevented by this stop CZ, with theresult that lthe upper sash B is greatly loverbalanced andv quicklybrought`to its closed position by the continued fall of said weight D.:From the fact that wire-glass is customarily f IOU employed in sashessuch as are used with my device and, further, that all of the othermaterials from which the above-described window is constructed areiireproof to the highest degree it will be understood that in many casesthe prompt operation of my invention may serve to prevent the spread ofotherwise serious fires.

While the automatic releasing device shown in Figs. l and 3 may be usedto normally connect the chain d' with the lower portion of the lowersash, my preferred device for accomplishing this end is shown in Figs.4, 5, and 6. In such a construction the chain passes through what issubstantially the center of a casting f, having a portion f', whichserves as a trunnion or bearing for a second casting f2, permanentlyfixed to the metallic body of the sash C. Such construction is for thepurpose of permitting the sash to be swung on a horizontal axis withoutinterference with the chain CZ', for while the casting fis free to slideup or down in the guides at the sides of the frame it is held fromrevolution in said guides while the casting j 2 revolves upon it inorder to permit the sash to swing. The bearing or trunnion portion f isprovided with an annular groove f3 for the reception of a screw f i, bywhich said parts are held together in operative position.

With the above construction the attachment of the chains 0l to thebottom part of the lower sash in no way interferes with the swinging ofthe sash, and at the same time the arrangement of parts is such thatthere is no liability of said chains being held to the lower sashl aftertheir fusible connection therewith has once been fused.

A lever G is pivoted to the lower portion of the inside of the frameworkof the lower sash, being movably supported upon a pin g and having oneof its arms g entering a recess in a lug g2, held in any desired mannerto the sash. This arm g passes through the last link of the chain d', asshown, so that said chain is held connected to the sash as long as thelever G remains in the position shown in Fig. In order to normally keepthe lever in this position, its second arm, which preferably has aportion g3 bent at an angle, is

held from moving by engagement with a plate g4, covering an opening inthe face of the sash. Said plate is held in position by relativelyfusible solder, which, however, quickly releases the arm of the leverGbearing against it as soon as any abnormal temperature causes saidsolder to melt. This construction is particularly designed to permit ofbut a relatively small part of the strain on the chain being transmittedto the fusible solder, it being noted that such strain is supportedalmost entirely by the pivot-pin g. When, however, the plate g4 isreleased from its position by the melting of its solder, there issufficient strain upon the arm g to cause motion of the lever G upon itspivot-pin g, and thereby permit the link of the chain g' to be pulledofi' of said arm under the action of the weight D, so as to allow thelower sash to fall, as above described.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that I haveprovided an exceedingly simple and inexpensive device by which twosashes are counterbalanced by a single weight on each side, and I havealso provided means whereby both sashes, if open, are caused toautomatically close in the event of a fire occurring in the vicinity ofthe window or in case of an abnormal rise of temperature from any othersource. .It will be further seen that I provide a single device foraccomplishing the closing of both sashes of a window, thereb v not onlylessening the cost of the structure, but increasing the certainty ofaction owing to the simplicity of the apparatus employed.

I claim as my inventionw 1. The combination of two sashes, acounterweight and means for operatively connecting said weight to bothsashes, with means including a relatively fusible member for releasingthe weight from one of the sashes and causing it to become active tomove the other sash, substantially as described.

2. The combination of two sashes, a counterweight, means for operativelyconnecting said weight to both sashes, said means including an automaticheat-responsive device whereby it may be released from one of the sashesand means for causing the entire counterweight to become available tomove the other sash, substantially as described.

3. The combination of two sashes, a counterweight, a flexible connectionbetween said w eight and both sashes, heat-responsive means forreleasing one of the sashes from the weight and means for making saidweight capable of automatically moving the other sash, substantially asdescribed.

4L. The combination of two sashes, a counterweight having a pulley, aflexible connection attached to both sashes and passing around saidpulley, an automatic device for releasing said connection from one ofthe sashes and means for preventing the rendering of the flexibleconnection through the pulley after said releasing means has acted,substantially as described.

5. The combination of two sashes, a counterweight, a flexible connectionattached to both sashes and suspending said weight, a stop on saidiiexible connection for causing the weight to act on one sash only and adevice for automatically releasing the connection from the other sash,substantially as described.

6. The combination of a frame having an upper and a lower sash, pulleyson the frame, a iiexible connection passing over said pulleys andattached to both sashes, a third pulley operative in a loop of saidconnection and a weight attached to said third pulley with a IOO IIC

stop on the connection between the thirdpulley and one of the otherpulleys and a device for automatically releasing the connection from oneof the sashes, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a frame having a sash, counterweights, iiexibleconnections between the sash and said weights, and sliding bearings forthe sash constructed to permit rotation thereot` on a horizontal axis,said iiexible connections passing through the said bearings and havingheat-responsive means whereby they may be automatically detached fromthe sash, substantially as described.

8. The combination of a frame, bearingpieces slidable in said frame, asash rotatably carried bysaid bearing-pieces,counterweights, and exibleconnections between said weights and the sash, said connections passing`through said bearing-pieces and having heat-responsive means wherebythey may be automatically detached from the sash, substantially asdescribed.

9. The combination of a frame, bearingpieces slidable thereon, a sashhaving trunnions engagingsaid bearing-pieces,with counterweights, andflexible connections between the sash and said weights, said connectionspassing through said trunnions, and having heat-responsive means wherebythey may be automatically detached from the sash, substantially asdescribed.

10. The combination of a frame, asash movable therein, a counterweightand a iiexible connection between the sash and the weight, a lever fornormally attaching said connection to the sash and a device includingrelatively fusible material for holding said lever from releasing saidconnection, substantially as described.

l1. The combination ofa frame, asash movable therein, a counterweightand a flexible connection between the sash and the weight, a leverhaving' a relatively short arm engaging said connection and a long arm,with a body of relatively fusible material active upon said longlever-arm to prevent motion of the same, substantially as described.

12. The combination of a frame, asash movable therein, a counterweight,a leXible connection extending betweenthe sash and the weight, a caphaving relatively fusible metal holding it in place over an opening insaid sash and a lever carried by the sash having one arm acted on by theflexible connection and the other kept from motion by said cap,substantially as described.l

In testimony whereof` I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of twosubscribing witnesses.

CHARLES RUPP. Witnesses: WILLIAM F. BEA'roN, WILLIAM E. BRADLEY.

